Hezbollah Official Accuses Lebanese Government of Aiding Israel, Urges Negotiation Freeze

Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, stated that the Lebanese government is "assisting the Israeli-American project instead of confronting it." He urged the authorities to cease what he described as "concessions" and to freeze direct negotiations with Israel.

Qassem's remarks were made during a speech commemorating the second anniversary of the deaths of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and former Executive Council head Hashem Safieddine. He reiterated the call for the Lebanese government to "put an end to concessions and to freeze direct negotiations with Israel."

Addressing recent confrontations, Qassem noted that Hezbollah fighters "stood firm in Al-Tahir for three months," emphasizing that "preserving the location is not the main objective."

Regarding internal dialogue in Lebanon, Qassem affirmed Hezbollah's readiness for discussion, questioning, "How can we dialogue with those who have ruled the resistance as being outside the law?" He also touched upon the president's powers in negotiation matters, stating that while the president has the right to negotiate, "he does not have the right to violate the constitution and concede Lebanon's right to prosecute the enemy."